PREFECT OF THE BOTANIC GARDEN 249 
I would venture to Gothenburg and bring it myself in 
my hands to Uppsala. I beg you, Captain, by all that 
is sacred, to give it the most pious care.” The first 
sending miscarried, and Linne had to wait for the few 
remaining specimens. He thought it would be best 
for some poor fellow in Gothenburg to bring it by hand. 
“ He could come in a fortnight, it is only 50 miles [332 
English miles]. I will pay him 100 copper dalers 
[£2 ios.] for his trouble. If I could, I would pay ten 
times as much, but a large family hinders me.” The 
wife of the Captain travelled to Uppsala in a covered 
carriage, and during the entire journey held the box 
containing the tea-plants on her knees, finally handing 
her precious burden to Linne, who hastened to spread 
the glad news to his correspondents. The young 
plants throve at first and even flowered, but soon 
showed themselves unable to withstand the climate, 
thus destroying all their hopes. The last time they 
were mentioned was in 1769; but they must have died 
soon afterwards, to Linne’s great grief, as he wished 
to “ shut the door by which all the silver in Europe 
goes out.” 
This was not the only loss of a plant from a distant 
land which Linne suffered, but on the contrary many 
such perished owing to the Swedish winter’s darkness, 
and the damp of the glass-houses. He usually met 
such misfortunes with resignation, probably knowing 
that “ three Uppsala gardens would not hold them all.” 
But there was one sad occurrence which deeply grieved 
him, when the gardener received from Rolander a 
living cactus from Surinam with the cochineal insect 
on it. Linne at that moment was presiding at a dis¬ 
putation, and “ the gardener who received the plant, 
saw it swarming with vermin, which ought to be cleaned 
away, which he did so thoroughly that not one insect 
was left.” As soon as the Archiater [Linne] had 
arrived home, he asked if the expected cactus had come 
and if any maggots were on it. “ Yes,” said the 
gardener, “ it was full of maggots, so I cleaned them 
